1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure generally relates to endoscopes for use in endoscopic surgery and, in particular, to a low cost multi-use disposable laparoscope.
2. Background of the Related Art
Endoscopes have long been used in surgery to view internal portions of a patient's body through a narrow incision in the body exterior or through a naturally occurring hollow viscus. Endoscopes are long, slender instruments having a shaft which is either rigid or flexible, depending upon the procedure being performed. In general, endoscopes include an objective lens positioned adjacent a distal end and an image transmission system which may include a fiber optic bundle, relay rods or lenses, or a solid state sensor to transmit the image to the viewer. Endoscopes also are usually equipped with an illumination system, such as a fiber optic bundle, which illuminates the area being imaged. A camera adapter may be provided at the proximal end of the endoscope to permit the image to be displayed on a monitor for viewing by the entire surgical team.
Traditionally, endoscopes have been manufactured as reusable instruments. A reusable endoscope is intended to be used for a number of surgical procedures and requires cleaning and sterilization after each procedure. Reusable endoscopes are generally expensive to manufacture due in part to the expense of the components of the various systems, such as glass optics, which are required to function at high levels of performance after repeated re-sterilization for prolonged periods of time.
Also adding to the expense of reusable endoscopes are the materials and provisions required to appropriately seal the endoscope to prevent leakage of body fluids within the scope during the surgical procedure and, more particularly, to prevent leakage of sterilization fluids within the scope during repeated sterilization procedures. During a sterilization procedure, the endoscope may be subjected to steam temperatures in excess of 130.degree. C. for periods lasting as long as 1-2 hours. The steam environment has a substantial degrading affect on the seal areas of the endoscope. Moreover, the chemicals utilized during sterilization are also quite invasive to the scope, thus presenting additional concerns. Because multiple sterilizations and other handling eventually result in degradation in optical performance, reusable endoscopes frequently are returned to the manufacturer to be refurbished at substantial additional expense.
Recently, efforts have been focused on the manufacture of disposable endoscopes, i.e., endoscopes contemplated for disposal after a single use. An example of a disposable endoscope is the SURGIVIEW.TM. laparoscope manufactured by U.S. Surgical Corporation of Norwalk, Conn. Disposable endoscopes generally are manufactured cost-effectively, typically utilizing less expensive plastic components or parts, as appropriate, in lieu of steel and glass, for the housing and the various systems of the scope including the optical and illumination systems. In addition, since disposable endoscopes are not subjected to subsequent sterilization procedures for cleaning, disposable scopes need not be sealed as effectively as reusable scopes, thereby further reducing the cost of disposable scopes. Accordingly, disposable endoscopes are not adapted to favorably undergo repeated sterilization procedures, and, if exposed to multiple sterilizations, experience leakage of steam and chemicals into the scope and rapid degradation of endoscope performance.
Notwithstanding the relatively low cost of disposable endoscopes, there is a perception in the surgical community that reusable endoscopes are more economical, notwithstanding high initial investment costs, cleaning and sterilization costs, and expensive repair costs. In view of the relative expense involved in the purchase and maintenance of reusable endoscopes, it would be desirable to provide a disposable endoscope having a lower per-use cost than a reusable endoscope.